Prong fastener for binders, folders, and the like



M. VOGEL 2 192701 FRONG FASTENER FOR BINDERS, FOLDERS, AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 8, 1937 1 A v u "w" I3 I0 VENTOR MAX [115%.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED SITES PRON G FASTENER FOR BINDERS, FOLDERS, AND THE LIKE Max Vogel, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application September 8, 1937, Serial No. 162,835

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to 2. prong fastener for binders, folders, and the like, particularly of the type consisting of a bendable metal strip having an intermediate portion which engages the under side of papers or the like to be bound together, and prongs at each end which are inserted through openings in the papers and then inserted through openings in a binder member, and upon which member the extremities of the prong portions are bent into flat relation, being usually locked in this relation by means of a slide member. These heretofore known fasteners have the disadvantage that when the prongs are bent, permanent kinks are produced therein which cannot later be straightened out, so that it becomes difficult to remove or insert papers without tearing the holes therein. As a result the prongs do not stay or lie straight, are apt to fracture, and the fastener becomes loose if any appreciable strain is applied thereto. Also the prongs have sharp and rough edges which are apt to cut the fingers of persons using the fastener.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fastener which eliminates these disadvantages, and to this end it is proposed to provide prong sections which are corrugated, the corrugations forming a series of bending points which can be repeatedly bent without destroying the original form of the prong, thereby facilitating the use of the fastener repeatedly for different thicknesses of papers. These corrugations also have the advantage that they provide predetermined permanent bending points about which the prongs may be bent at sharp right angles, without however excessively bending the material so that it would be apt to fracture. Another object is to provide a fastener in which the corrugaticns of the prong portions eliminate sharp dangerous edges, and further to increase the surface contact of the prongs with the holes in the papers, so that tearing or cutting of the holes is prevented.

A further object is to provide a fastener having corrugations in the prong portions and a non-corrugated tip portion, this tip portion adapted to facilitate the engagement of the fastener in. the holes of the papers, and also indithe extent to which the papers may be placed upon the fastener,'the corrugation adjacent the tip portion. being the limit which indithe maximum capacity of the fastener at which point the prong may be bent. A further object is to provide a fastener in which the prong portions will stand straight and relatively rigid when straightened out, so that papers may be readily removed or easily inserted at any place within the folder. 7

A further object is to provide a fastener in which the prongs will resist strain to a much greater extent than the smooth prongs heretofore in use, and which will provide a positive locking action when bent in relation with the binder member. Another object is to provide a fastener in which the corrugations of the prongs are adapted to cooperate with locking slide members so that the latter will remain in any position to which they are adjusted.

With the above and other objects in view, em-

bodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fastener according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of a modified form of fastener according to the invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View of one end portion of another form of fastener, according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the fastener engaged in a folder of papers and in interlocking relation with the binder strip.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the lines i6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the fastener in relation to a modified form of binder member having locking slide members.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the fastener shown therein consists of a flexible bendable metal strip of uniform width throughout, so that it may be economically formed of ordinary strip material,

and consisting of an intermediate portion Ill and prong portions at each end thereof, each com- U shown in Fig. l the edge has a serpentine form and therefore presents a much greater surface area than would a straight edge, and this has the advantage that it will not cut the fingers and will provide relatively large surface contact areas for engagement with the holes in the papers to be bound.

In Fig. 3 I have shown corrugations H5 in the I prong portions I I disposed intermediate the longitudinal edges and which form bending lines substantially similar to the corrugations shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The uncorrugated portionsof the prongs as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, prevent weakening of the material when it is bent in relation to the corrugations. The corrugations give flexibility to the material without sacrificing stiffness, and therefore thicker or harder material can be used, if desired. I

In Fig. 4 I have shown prong portion ll provided with corrugations l! extending the full width of the portion H, and I have also shown the intermediate portion Ill of greater width than the prong portion. It will be understood that the intermediate portion may be of the same width as the prong portion, as shown in Figs.

1 to 3, and also that in the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the intermediate portion may be of greater width, as shown in Fig. 4.

The papers l8 to be bound are each provided with registering holes l9l9 spaced the same distance as the length of the intermediate portion It]. The prongs of the fastener are bent at right angles at the ends of the intermediate portion Hi and are inserted through the holes iii-I9 being then inserted through holes 20-20 in a metal binder strip 2|. The prongs are then bent either inwardly or outwardly into parallel relation with the upper surface of the retaining member 2|, the bends being coincident with the provide grooves in which the outwardly bent flanges 24-24 of a locking slide member 25 are engaged, this sliding member being of channel form so that the bent end of the prong will be 1 received therein. The surface of the slide member is preferably corrugated, as at 26, for the purpose of facilitating the sliding thereof, and these corrugations may if desired conform to the corrugations of the prongs. of the slide member there is provided a downwardly bent locking lip 2'! which will lockingly engage in the corrugations of the prong portion thereby preventing the possibility of any displacement of accidental movement of the slide member.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, Within the spirit and scope thereof, as I defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: In a fastener of the character described, a strip of material having an intermediate portion and,

prong portions at each end adapted to be bent at an angle to the ends of said intermediate portion and to be angularly bent intermediate their ends, said prong portions each having an intermediate longitudinal uncorrugated portion and at each longitudinal edge a plurality of successive arranged alternately upwardly and downwardly projecting transverse corrugations extending for a substantial distance along said prong portion and constituting a plurality of preformed contiguously arranged bending portions, the descending side walls of the alternate upwardly projecting corrugations being the ascending side walls of the alternate downwardly projecting corrugations.

MAX VOGEL.

Upon the inner end if 

